Ditching-machine.



WWW.

D. J. WREN, DEOD. M. E. WHEN, ADMINISTRATRIX. DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1908.. Patented Jan 19' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

awantoz Elm u D. J. WREN, DEGD.

M. E. warm, ADMINISTBATEIX. DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1908.

wit-.1 use:

Patented Jan. 19. 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. J. WHEN, 'DEGD.

m. E. WREN, ADMINISTRATRIX.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 14, 1902;

910,256. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

III nun a 1 Jhtmzooeo I WAX/MM D. J. WREN, DEGD.

M. E. WHEN, ADMINISTRATRIX. DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIUATIN FILED .TAN.14, 1908. Patented Jan. 19,

v 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Snoenfoz Witness! D. J. WHEN, DEGD.

I M. E. WREN, ADMINISTRATRIX.

DITGHI NG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

||i INWL/ wit" use:

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENNIS .T. WREN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA; MARY E. WREN ADMINISTRATRIXOF SAID DENNIS J. WREN, DEOENSED.

"mrcnmo-monmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ran. 19, mos.

To all whom It may concern:

Be it known that I DENNIS J. WREN, a citizen of the United tates,residin at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching- Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ditching machines, and refers inparticular to a machine for performing excavating operations along theline of railway tracks, the main object of the invention being theprovision of a simple and efiective device which ma be mounted upon arailway car and used 7 or digging the ditch or trench and loading theexcavated material upon the car in a rapidand thorough manner, and whichas each car is loaded, will be drawn along to the next empty car, sothat the can; comprising the tram will be loaded in succession, themechanism being shifted in such way as to cause no appreciable delay inthe operation of the same.

Another ob'ect of the invention is the provision of a ditching machineby means of which the earth or other material may be excavated fromeither side of the track as becomes necessary or desirable, the changeof operations from one side to the other requir ng but slightalterations in the adjustment of the device.

Other objects of the invention, are to provide inclined supports forsupporting the boomcarrying the excavating scoop'on either side of thetrackway; to provide means for adjusting the inclination of said guidingsupports; to provide adjustable means for supporting the boom in anyposition with respect to the inclined guides; to provide means forshifting the inner end of the boom to adapt it for excavating on eitherside of the trackway; and a final object of the invention is to providea device of the character set forth which will be efficient andpractical in every particular.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention com rises acarrier adapted to be drawn to the p ace of operations, a boom and anexcavating scoop carried thereby, and a support for the boom havinginclined sides to guide the movements of the boom, the boom beingadapted for operation on either side of the support.

The invention further consists of an excavating machine embodyingcertain other novel features of construction, combination andarrangtment of parts substantially as disclosed herein and asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l, is a side elevation of the complete machine mounted upon andas in use in connection with an ordinary flat car, the boom andexcavating bucket or dipper being in the elevated position, as when rfor dumping the contents of the bucket upon the car. Fig. 2, is a likeView of the same with the bucket lowered in the excavating position.Fig. 3, is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4, is a rear end elevation ofthe machine. Fig. 5, is a broken detail view of the rack and pinionmechanism for spreading and adjusting the inclination of the guiding andsupporting rails. Figs. 6 and 7 are like views of'the hand wheel andworm gear devices for operating the spreading mocha-n ism. Fig. 8, is abroken side elevation of the forward portion of the carrier frame andthe adjustable mounting for the boom end. Fig. 9, is a broken sectionalview of the shifting mechanism for the boom end. Figs. 10, and 11, aretop and side views of the nut block to which the boom end is connected.Fig. 12, is a detail View of one of the anchoringhooks for holding themachine temporarily in place.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings:- The numeral 1,designates the side members or sills of the carrier frame which may bein the form of I-beams or the like structure and which have theirforward ends curved upwardly in the nature of runners. The sills areconnected by cross braces 2, and diagonal corner braces 3, and if foundnecessary other braces may be added. Short upstanding posts 4: aremounted at the forward end of the carrier frame which support the pairof transversely arranged parallel supporting and guiding bars 5. Thesebars'are preferably in the form of T-rails, the heads of the railsfacing each other so as to provide the angular outstanding flanges 6,which form runways for the guidance and support of the nut block or headto which the base of the boom is connected. The posts are braced byangle braces 7 and in order to strengthen the joints between the bracesand other members of the carrier, I find it advisable to employ angleplates 8, at such joints throughout the carrier, to provide a more rigidand substantial structure. A screw rod 9, is journaled between the postsbetween the guiding bars or rails 5, upon one end of which is afiixed apinion 10, which is in mesh with the worm 11, a hand wheel 12, beingprovided upon the end of the worm shaft, so that by operating the handwheel the screw rod 1s rotated. A head or nut block 13, is slidablyengaged upon the guide rails the block being slotted or ooved at 14, soas to fit down over the e ge of the rails with its ends bearing upon theangular flanges of the rails. A securing plate 15, is bolted to theunderface of the boom head or nut block, the edges of the plate engagingthe lower edge of the rails to slidably secure the head upon the rails.The head is provided with a seat or recess 16, in which is seated thesteel nut 16, said nut being engaged upon the screw rod. Thus it Wlll beunderstood that by operating the hand wheel, the screw shaft is rotatedwhich causes the boom head to be shifted laterally on the guide rails.

The boom head-block is provided with an extension or lug 17, at its rearside, to which is pivotally connected the forked link 18, by means ofthe pin 19, and the foot of the derrick boom 20. is pivoted at 21, tothe outer end of this link, the whole forming a universal joint topermit of the boom being swung either vertically or horizontally withrespect to the nut block, or head. The boom is preferably of trussconstruction as shown, and to the outer free end of the boom is pivoteolat 22, the bail 23, of the scoop or dumping bucket 24. This pivotalconnection for the bucket is comparatively loose so as to allow thebucket to swing in parallelism with the traverse of the car or train,and in order to keep the bucket in proper osition while excavatin and toprevent ti ting of the same, a gui in tongue or finger 25, is swiveledat 26, on fire upper side at the end of the boom, which engages theV-shaped flanged guide 27, on the upper side of the bucket and serves toguide and hold the bucket in proper uprlght position. The bucket isprovided with a hin ed door 28, and a spring latch 29, to ho d the doorclosed, the latch being operated to release the door for dumping thecontents of the buckets by means of a trip rope (not shown), or by hand.An outstanding lever handle 30, is mounted on the door to assist inclosing the same, and the bucket is further provided with the customaryplow points 31.

The supporting and guiding means for the outer free end of the boomconsists of a pair of angular converging posts 32, carrymg the angularhead plate 33, to the opposite upper corners of which are pivoted at 34,the angular or curved guide rails 35 which are curved on a gradual arc,the lines of curvature coinciding with the curvature of the head plateso as to provide a smooth joint therewith. Secured in spaced relation tosaid head plate 33, is a corresponding member 36, the edge of which isslightly lower than the edge of the head plate, so as to allow theproper clearance for the hoisting cable 37 A pair of sheaves 38, arejournaled in the head between the two spaced members to carry thehoisting cable, and the bevel-edged filler blocks 39, arranged on eachside of the sheaves serve to properly guide the cable. A pair of eyes40, are provided on the upper corners or edges of the boom, to the innerone of which the hoisting cable is attached, according as to which sideof the support the boom is resting on, and spool rollers 41, journaledin brackets 42, on the lower corner edges of the boom, engage with theguide rails and serve to reduce the friction to a minimum. As will bereadily understood from the drawings the boom may beshifted over thehead of the support from one side to the other, and when so doing, thehoisting cable would be attached to the wide loop 43, on the lower sideof the boom. The hoisting cable passes downward from the sheaves in thehead of the support between the guiding pulleys 44, thence between theguiding pulleys 45, in the forward end of the frame, these last namedpulleys giving a lift or rise to the cable as shown, so that when poweris applied to the cable, a downward pressure will be exerted on theforward end of the carrier frame by reason of the upward inclination ofthe cable.

In order to adjust the inclination of the guiding and supporting railswhen digging deeper or further away from the track, the rails may bedistended or forced outward in the following manner: A pair of links 46,are pivoted at their outer ends to the guide bars at 47 and at theirinner ends at 48, to the rack bars 49, which rack bars are slidablymounted on the transverse end members 50, of the carrier frame. Theseracks are actuated by pinions 51, on the shafts 52, gears 53, beingaflixed on the opposite ends of the shafts, which latter gears are inmesh with the worms 54. Hand wheels 55, on the extended ends of the wormshafts, serve as means for operating.

The usual operation of the device is as follows: The machine is placedupon the last fiat car of the train of empties and a hoisting engine(not shown) is carried on the car next to the locomotive, and thehoisting cable of the machine is connected to the drum of the engine.The machine is secured upon the car by means of the anchor hooks 56,having the threaded shanks 57 which pass upward throu h the enlargedopenings 58, in the anchor are 59, which bars are pivoted to the frameof the machine at 60. The hand wheel 61, on the shank of the hook actsas a nut and serves to clamp the hook in place, and a short handle 62,is rovided on the upper end of the hook shan by means of which the hookmay be turned in engagement with the sill of the car. The boom is then10 vered and the train proceeds until the bucket becomes filled. Theboom is then elevated until the bucket swings over the car and thebottom of the bucket is opened to dump the contents on the car. Ifsideboards are not carried by the car, then a pair of auxiliary sideboards 63, are em-' ployed which are removably bolted to the sills ofthe carrier at 64, and these sideboards serve to prevent any waste orspilling of the material. After one car has been loaded in this fashion,the anchor hooks are unclamped and hinged up out of the way by means ofthe hoist ropes 65. The tackle from the drum of the engine is connectedto the chain 66, which is swiveled to the draw bar 67, the draw barbeing securely fastened to the frame of the carrier. In this way themachine may be drawn from one car to the other by sledding.

When it is desired to shift the boom for excavating on the opposite sideof the trackway, the hand wheel at the forward end of the carrier isoperated to shift the foot of the boom over toward the side where theexcavating is to take place, then by giving the boom a rapid hoist, itswings over of its own momentum to the opposite side of the supportinghead. When the boom is at rest it is supported on the guide rails bymeans of the stop blocks 69, said blocks being slidably adjustable onthe guide rails and held in adjusted position by means of the springlatch bolts 70, which are adapted to interlock with any of the series ofopenings 71, in the guide rails.

In order to adapt the boom for ordinary lifting purposes, a pulley 72,is journaled near the end of the boom over which is passed hoist rope,the other end of the rope being wound on the drum 74:, journaled nearthe base of the boom and operated by the crank handle 75.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be apparent that I have produced an excavating and loading machinewhich fully and satisfactorily accomplishes all the objects herein aimedat, and which is practical and generally useful.

I claim:

1. In combination with a carrier, of a boom having its one endadjustably secured to the carrier, means for adjusting said boom withrespect to the carrier, a scoop carried by the boom, a support for theboom having inclined sides.

2. An excavating machine comprising a carrier, a boom having one endconnected to the carrier, means for shifting said boom end laterallywith respect to the carrier, and a support for the boom.

3. n excavating and loading apparatus comprising a carrier, a boomhaving its one end adjustably mounted therein, and a support for theboom embodying a head having oppositely disposed inclined guide rails.

4. In combination with a carrier, a screw shaftjonrnaled therein, meansfor rotating said shaft, a nut block adapted to be shifted laterally byoperation of the screw shaft, and a boom having its end connected tosaid nut block.

5. .In an excavating machine, the combination with a boom and a scoopcarried thereby, a support for the boom having a rounded head andinclined sides, of means for spreading and adjusting the inclination ofsald sides.

6. In an excavating machine the combination with a boom and a scoopcarried thereby, of a support for the boom having a rounded head andinclined sides, hoisting sheaves journaled in the head,-and hoistingcablepassing over said sheaves and connected to the boom.

'7. The combination with a boom and a support for the same havinginclined sides, of spool rollers having flanged inclined ends andmounted on the boom and adapted to ride over said support, said rollerspreventing undue friction between the rollers and the inclined sides ofthe support.

8. A boom support comprising a head having rounded bearing edge topermit the boom to swing from one side to the other, and inclined guiderails extending downward from each side of the head.

9. A boom support comprising a head having a rounded upper bearing edge,inclined guide rails leading downward from each side of said head, andmeans for changing the inclination of said guide rails.

10. In combination with a carrier frame of an excavating machine, ascrew shaft journaled transversely therein, means for operating saidshaft, a nut block in connection with and adapted to be shifted by saidscrew shaft, and a boom having its end connected by universal joint tosaid nut block.

11. In an excavating machine the combination with the head of a boomsupport, of guide rails pivotally connected to said head, and rack andpinion connections for adjusting the inclination of said guide rails.

12. The combination with an excavating machine, of a boom supportembodying a head and guide rails depending therefrom, and hoistingsheaves journaled in said head.

13. An excavating machine comprising a carrier, a boom connected theretoand capable of lateral adjustment at the point of connection, a scoopcarried by the boom, a support for the boom including a rounded head andguide rails depending therefrom,

&

means for adjusting the inclination of the rails, and means for hoistingand lowering the boom.

14. In combination with a carrier, means for anchoring the carrier inplace, a boom having one end adjustably connected to the carrier, and asupport for the boom having a rounded head to allow the boom to swingfrom one side to the other and guides depending from said head.

15. An excavating and loading machine comprising a carrier, a sup ortmounted on the carrier having adjustabl d sides, rack and pinionconnections for adjusting said sides, a boom riding on said support, andmeans carried by the support for raising and lowering the boom.

16. An excavating machine comprising a boom support having adjustablesides, a boom adapted to bear against the sides of the support and rideover the head of the support from one side to the other, a scoop carriedby the boom, and means in the support for raisin and lowering the boom.

17. In combination with a boom, a boom support having sides upon whichthe boom is adapted to ride and a rounded head permitting the boom to beswung from one side of the support to the other, and means in thesupport for raising and lowering the boom.

18. In combination with a carrier, a boom support thereon having arounded head to support a boom and to permit the boom to be swung fromone side of the head to the other.

19. In combination with a carrier, a boom support thereon having arounded head, a boom adapted to be supported thereon and to be swungfrom one side of the head to the other, means for adjustably securingone end of the boom to the carrier, and means for raising and loweringthe boom.

20. A boom support having a rounded head and inclined sides dependingtherefrom, and rack and inion connections for adjusting the inclinationof said sides.

21. A boom support having a rounded head and inclined sides dependingtherefrom, rack and pinion connections for adjusting the inclination ofsaid sides, and means for holding the boom in adjusted position on thesides.

22. In combination with a carrier, a transverse screw shaft at one endthereof, a boom having its one end connected to and adapted to beshifted by said screw shaft, a scoop carried by the boom, a boom supporthaving a rounded head, hoisting means in the head for elevating theboom, inclined guides carried by the head, rack and pinion connectionsfor adjusting said guides, means on the uides for supporting the boomwhen desired and means for anchoring the whole upon a car or otherdevice.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DENNIS J. WREN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. RIORDAN, WM. N. Moonn.

